Total Extreme Fighting CEO Cesar Silva said “We extend our most sincere condolences to the family of João Carvalho’s and his teammates in Team Nobrega. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We’d also like to thank all sports fans for their concern and support.

“We will give whatever support we can to João’s family. We have been in contact with his family and they have requested that we all understand their need for privacy at this difficult time.”

The death will focus attention on the brutal sport especially in light of a Dublin neurologist’s claim that medical oversight was very poor at the fights.

Professor Dan Healy told the Irish Times before the Dublin show he had treated three brain hemorrhages associated with MMA fights in the last three years and worried a serious injury will lead to a fatality.

The promoter of the Cage Kings event told the Times Prof Healy’s views amounted to “scare tactics” and insisted full safety guidelines are in place.

Healy said “This is not a neurologist trying to get cage fighting banned. But it’s a sport where a man can drive his elbow into an eye socket with as much force as he can apply or kick him in the head with as much force as he can apply.”